1. Field of Inventions
The present invention relates to a process device for processing a substrate to be processed under an application of a magnetic field, in particular to a process device suitable for suppressing a magnetic flux from leaking outside the process device.
2. Description of Related Art
In a manufacture process of semiconductor devices, process devices for implementing a sputtering process, a CYD process or the like on a silicon wafer (hereinafer simply referred to as xe2x80x9cwaferxe2x80x9d) as a substrate to be processed have been used. In these process devices, a reactive process gas is filled in a process chamber. Under a plasma atmosphere obtained by converting the process gas into a plasma-state gas, on a wafer surface in the process chamber, a prescribed process is applied. Recently in particular, a higher degree of integration of a semiconducor device is strongly demanded and a wafer of a larger wafer aperture is developed. Accordingly, a process device capable of implementing a miniaturization process in short time is desired.
To this end, Japanese Patent Laid-open Application No. HEI 6-53177 proposes a plasma generation device for an etching device. The plasma generation device is provided with a dipole ring magnet hereinafter xe2x80x9cdipole ring magnetxe2x80x9d is simply referred as xe2x80x9cDRMxe2x80x9d in some cases) in which a plurality of anisotropic segment magnets are arranged in ring around an outer periphery of a process chamber to generate a magnetic field of high uniformity, thereby in a more uniform plasma atmosphere the process being implemented.
When the plasma generation device provided with the aforementioned DRM is used, a magnetic line of force generated from the DRM affects an influence on instruments in the surroundings of the plasma generation device. Accordingly, leakage of the magnetic line of force, that is, leakage magnetic flux, is necessary to be decreased. In particular, in a so-called multi-chamber semiconductor manufacture device where a plurality of process units is crowded in a narrow space to improve productivity, it is indispensable to avoid interference between process units each.
Accordingly, there are such proposals that outside the DRM a shield plate is disposed to shield magnetism or a counter magnet is disposed to cancel out the leakage magnetic flux. However, a sufficient decrease in the leakage magnetic flux has not been attained.
The present invention is carried out to overcome the aforementioned problems. That is, the object of the present invention is to provide, in a process device provided with a DRM, the process device capable of sufficiently decreasing a magnetic flux leaking to the surroundings of the process device.
In order to solve the aforementioned problems, a process device involving the present invention comprises a chamber, an energy supply, a dipole ring magnet, a shield plate, and a shield plate rotation mechanism. The chamber accommodates a substrate to be processed to implement the process. The energy supply is provided to the chamber for supplying energy to a gas introduced in the chamber to convert the gas into a plasma-state gas. The dipole ring magnet is cylindrically arranged surrounding the chamber, on a circumference of the cylinder a plurality of magnets being arranged, the dipole ring magnet rotating in one direction around an axis of the cylinder. The shield plate is arranged surrounding an outer periphery of the dipole ring, magnet, the shield plate being supported rotatably with a rotation axis of the dipole ring magnet as an axis. The shield plate rotation mechanism rotates the shield plate in an opposite direction with respect to the dipole ring magnet.
That is, outside the DRM the cylindrical shield plate is disposed to cover the DRM and rotated coaxially with the rotating DRM and in a direction opposite to that thereof. Thereby, against a magnetic line of force directing outside of the DRM, a circular current is generated in each portion of the shield plate to generate a magnetic line of force of an approximately equal magnitude and in an opposite direction. Accordingly, the magnetic line of force coming out of the shield plate surface and the magnetic line of force coming out of the DRM are cancelled out to result in suppression of the leakage magnetic flux.
The process device comprises a process chamber having a chamber wall, conductive member, a dipole ring magnet, a shield plate, and a shield plate rotation mechanism. The process chamber is where a substrate to be processed is placed. The conductive member is disposed to a process chamber in the chamber wall for supplying energy to a gas introduced in a chamber wall to convert the gas into a plasma-state gas. The dipole ring magnet is cylindrically disposed surrounding the chamber wall, generating a magnetic field in the chamber wail, rotating in one direction around an axis of the cylinder. The shield plate is disposed surrounding an outer periphery of the dipole ring magnet, being supported rotatably without coming into contact with the dipole ring magnet. The shield plate rotation mechanism rotates the shield plate so as to suppress magnetic flux leaking outside of the dipole ring magnet.
That is, outside the DRM a rotatable shield plate is disposed, the rotatable shield plate being rotated to suppress a magnetic line of force from leaking outside the DRM.
Further, the process device of the present invention comprises constituting means, supplying means, magnetic field generating means, shielding means, and rotating means. The constituting means constitutes a process chamber where a process is applied to a substrate to be processed. The supplying means is disposed to the process chamber for supplying energy to a gas to convert the gas into a plasma state gas. The magnetic field generating means is cylindrically disposed surrounding the process chamber to be rotatable around an axis thereof, generating a magnetic line of force in the process chamber. The shielding means is disposed surrounding an outer periphery of the magnetic field generating means without coming into contact therewith for shielding a magnetic line of force leaking outside the magnetic field generating means. The rotating means rotates the magnetic flux shielding means so as to suppress the leakage magnetic flux.
That is, outside the magnetic field generating means rotatable shielding means is disposed, the rotatable shielding means being rotated to suppress a magnetic flux from leaking outside the magnetic field generating means.